Androids Dream

When Simon Zalkind first met Paul Gillis in the 80s, he was immediately enamored of the unpretentious artists work, with its dreamlike take on our times, its Zap Comix imagery, robotic figures and surreal symbolism. I was taken with how smart and funny he was, while working through a set of ideas that were personal and spiritual, using the syntax of comic books to give very serious issues a zany gloss, Zalkind remembers. That appreciative assessment never faded, and Zalkind always hoped to do a project with Gillis.

And now he has, at the Singer Gallery, where Zalkind has created a curatorial niche, giving attention to artists who often fly below the radar. Paul Gillis: Curiouser  A Dozen Years of Painting, which features an overview of Gillis works, opens tonight with a reception from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. It will inject a measure of humor, which is always good medicine, into the kinds of conversations were currently having, Zalkind says. In these cynical and browbeaten times, he adds, the art of Paul Gillis deserves a second look. And then a third, and a fourth.

Curiouser continues through May 28; the gallery is located in the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 South Dahlia Street. Go to www.maccjcc.org or call 303-316-6360 for details.
Mondays-Fridays, Sundays. Starts: April 2. Continues through May 28, 2009